Florida Stage, Florida's award-winning regional theatre dedicated to new and developing works, will present the East Coast premiere of Athol Fugard's Exits and Entrances Dec. 6-Jan. 15, 2006, at the theatre's home in Manalapan.

Based on Fugard’s experiences in South Africa between 1956 and 1961, Exits and Entrances "tells the true story of a life-changing friendship between an idealistic young playwright and a celebrated older actor, one finding his artistic and political voice while the other struggles against the shadow of being forgotten."

The play had its world premiere at The Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles in 2004. Fugard was a major voice in South Africa's struggle for freedom in the face of apartheid and remains an active playwright focusing on many topics and tones. "Master Harold"…and the boys is his best-known work.

The Exits and Entrances cast will include Morlan Higgins, seen in 2003 at Florida Stage in The Calvalcaders, and William Dennis Hurley. The actors originated their roles of André and The Playwright, respectively, in the award-winning world premiere production.

Stephen Sachs directs the staging. The creative team includes Richard Crowell (set and lighting designer).